Cellular telephone alarm

• US 6,011,967 A
• Filed: 05/21/1997
• Issued: 01/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ironworks Patents LLC, Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Wieck, Christopher P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Wellington
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woldetatios, Yemane
• Application Number:
  US08/861,222
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404, 455/422, 455/67.1, 455/550, 455/557, 455/564, 455/575, 455/115, 340/539, 379/37, 379/38, 379/40
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Cellular telephone which operates as an alarm in an alarm mode. After or prior to being manually or automatically set in the alarm mode, the cellular telephone receives a sensor signal which identifies the occurrence or non-occurrence of a predetermined event. Upon receiving a signal that indicates the occurrence of a predetermined, usually undesirable, event, the cellular telephone automatically establishes a channel of communication with a pre-programmed telephone number, transmits to the called number identification data that identifies the cellular telephone, and then establishes the cellular telephone in a particular alarm operating mode, for example, a two-way audio mode.

Claims

1. A cellular telephone operable in an alarm mode, comprising:

means for receiving a sensor signal representing an occurrence of a predetermined event;

means for providing said cellular telephone in said alarm mode;

radio communication means for transmitting and receiving radio transmissions to and from a base station of a cellular network to establish channels of communication with called telephone numbers;

control means for controlling, in response to the receipt of said sensor signal representing the occurrence of said predetermined event when said cellular telephone is in said alarm mode, said radio communication means to establish a channel with a predetermined telephone number, and to transmit to said predetermined telephone number identification data identifying said cellular telephone; and

for establishing said cellular telephone in a selected operating mode after transmitting said identification data to said predetermined telephone number,

wherein said control means is operable to control said radio communication means to disconnect the established channel with said predetermined telephone number and to automatically answer a call from a calling telephone number without ringing, and to establish said cellular telephone in a designated operating mode after the call is automatically answered.

2. The cellular telephone of claim 1, further comprising a microphone for receiving an audio signal;

and wherein said control means controls said radio communication means to transmit said audio signal to said calling telephone number.

3. A method of using a cellular telephone as an alarm in an alarm mode, comprising the steps of:

receiving a sensor signal representing an occurrence of a predetermined event;

establishing said cellular telephone in said alarm mode;

establishing, in response to the receipt of said sensor signal representing the occurrence of said predetermined event when said cellular telephone is in said alarm mode, a radio channel with a predetermined telephone number;

transmitting to said predetermined telephone number identification data identifying said cellular telephone; and

establishing said cellular telephone in a selected operating mode after said identification data is transmitted to said predetermined telephone number;

disconnecting the established channel with said predetermined telephone number;

automatically answering a call from a calling telephone number without ringing; and

establishing said cellular telephone in a designated operating mode after the call is automatically answered.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of transmitting to said calling telephone number an audio signal received from a microphone of the cellular telephone after the call is automatically answered.